2007 in video gaming

Events

* March 14: Microsoft announces Games for Windows - Live, a version of Xbox Live for the Windows platform. The service launched on May 8. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6167353.html?tag=result;title;6 Vista gets Live-wired in May - Xbox 360 News at GameSpot ] ]
* March 27: Microsoft announces the new "Xbox 360 Elite" stock-keeping unit (SKU). The revision comes with a bigger hard drive and the ability to output HDMI it went on sale in April. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6168182.html?tag=result;title;9 Xbox 360 promoted to Elite - News at GameSpot ] ]
* March 28: Nintendo and Sega announce "Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games" for the Nintendo DS and Wii. This marks the first time Sonic and Mario have ever appeared in a video game together.
* April 11: Sony announces that they are discontinuing the 20 GB PlayStation 3 SKU, one of two SKUs available at the systems launch, leaving only the 60 GB SKU available for consumer purchase. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6168876.html?tag=result;title;1 20GB PS3 officially discontinued in North America - News at GameSpot ] ]
* May 19: Blizzard Entertainment announces "StarCraft II" at Seoul, South Korea. [ [http://pc.ign.com/articles/788/788627p1.html Blizzard's Worldwide Invitational -- The StarCraft 2 Announcement] ]
* June 27: Nintendo announces Wiiware, a service similar to Xbox Live Arcade, that will allow developers to release original downloadable games for the Wii. Previously the only downloadable games available on the Wii have been limited to its Virtual Console program. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6173195.html?tag=result;title;3 Wii to receive original downloadable games - News at GameSpot ] ]
* July 5: After an outpouring of complaints over faulty Xbox 360 hardware, Microsoft announces an extension for the Xbox 360's warranty that applies retroactively to all consumers who have purchased the console since launch. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/driving/forzamotorsport2/news.html?page=1&sid=6173660 Q&A: Peter Moore on new 360 warranty - Xbox 360 News at GameSpot ] ]
* August 29: Nokia reveals plans to revive its failing N-Gage brand in November; however, this time the line will not be a console, but rather a service players can download onto Nokia phones and/or PCs. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6177825.html?tag=result;title;0 N-Gage to game again - News at GameSpot ] ]
* September 25: "Halo 3" is released and grosses US$170 million in a 24-hour period, a record for the highest grossing opening day in video game history. [cite web|url=http://www.gamepro.com/news.cfm?article_id=136548 |title=Analyst: Halo 3 shatters retail record; sells $170M in 24 hrs |accessdate=2007-10-06 |author=Blake Snow |date=2007-09-26 |publisher=GamePro]
*September 26: Activision buys Bizarre Creations, developer of the "Project Gotham Racing" series. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6179885.html Activision makes Bizarre acquisition - Xbox 360 News at GameSpot ] ]
* October 5: Bungie announces its split with Microsoft to become an independent studio. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6180462.html?tag=result;title;1 Bungie and Microsoft officially split - Xbox 360 News at GameSpot ] ]
* October 11: Electronic Arts (EA) announces plans to buy VG Holding Corp., which owns both Pandemic Studios and Bioware, effectively making both companies subsidiaries. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/news/6180818.html EA buying BioWare/Pandemic for $860M - Xbox 360 News at GameSpot ] ]
* November 6: EA closes down its EA Chicago studios. [ [http://kotaku.com/gaming/breaking/ea-confirms-ea-chicago-is-closing-319516.php Breaking: EA Confirms EA Chicago is Closing ] ]
* December 19: 3D Realms releases teaser trailer for "Duke Nukem Forever" [ [http://forums.3drealms.com/vb/showthread.php?t=29639 Teaser Video Coming 12/19/07, Noon CST - 3D Realms Forums ] ] after six years since the last trailer and eleven years since announcing the game.Fact|date=April 2008

Business

*July 10 to July 13 — E3 Media & Business Summit at several hotels and the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, USA.
*August 23 to August 26 — the Leipzig Games Developers Convention in Leipzig, Germany.
*August 24 to August 26 — Penny Arcade Expo (PAX) at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Seattle, Washington, USA.
*September 20 to September 23 — Tokyo Game Show at the Makuhari Messe International Convention complex in Mihama-ku, Chiba, Japan.
*September 28 to September 30 — Digital Life at New York's Javits Center.
*October 18 to October 20 — E for All Expo at the Los Angeles Convention Center.
*November 2 to November 4 — Videogames Expo (VGXPO) at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
*November 27 to November 28 — Montreal Games Summit at the Palais de Congress international convention.

Notable releases

North American release dates:

Best-selling video games of 2007 in Japan [cite web |url=http://www.mcvuk.com/news/29295/JAPAN-2007-Nintendo-dominates-software-sales |title=JAPAN 2007: Nintendo dominates software sales |accessdate=2008-02-02 |author=Neil Long |date=2008-01-11 |work=Market for Home Computing and Video Games |publisher=] cite web |url=http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=16914 |title=Wii Sports Named Best Selling Game Of 2007 In Japan|author=David Jenkins |date=2008-01-11 |publisher=Gamasutra |accessdate=2008-02-02] [cite web |url=http://www.elspa.com/?i=7117 |title=Data Collected by Famitsu: from January 1 to December 30 2007 |publisher=Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association |accessdate=2008-05-29]

Best-selling PS2 games of 2007: [ [http://ps2.ign.com/articles/842/842869p2.html IGN: PS2 2007 Year in Review ] ]

Best-selling Wii games of 2007: [ [http://wii.ign.com/articles/842/842830p2.html IGN: Nintendo Wii 2007 Year in Review ] ]

Best-selling DS games of 2007 in the UK

Best-selling PSP games of 2007 in the UK

United States

Based on figures from the NPD Group.
Video game console sales of 2007 in the US [cite web |url=http://kotaku.com/346301/whos-winning-the-console-war-in-the-us |title=Who's Winning The Console War In The US? |author=Michael McWhertor |work=Kotaku |publisher=Gawker Media |accessdate=2008-01-19 | date=2008-01-18] cite web |url=http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/npd-us-video-game-industry-totals-1794-billion-halo-3-tops-all/19119/?biz=1 |title=NPD: U.S. Video Game Industry Totals $17.94 Billion, Halo 3 Tops All |accessdate=2008-01-19 |author=James Brightman |date=2008-01-17 |publisher=GameDaily]

References